Flooding cleanup at $700K

44 closed roads, 150 slips remain

ABOUT $700,000 has been spent so far cleaning up after Dunedin’s recent deluge, but more than 40 roads remain closed and 150 slips are still affecting the city network.

More than 100 contractors have been working on the repairs since the storm that battered eastern Otago last week brought more than 100mm of rain to many areas of Dunedin and caused more than 200 slips.

Last night, 44 roads were still closed and about 30 sites needed further geotechnical or civil investigation.

Mayor Dave Cull said the focus of recovery efforts would shift next week.

‘‘Our focus this week has been on people’s welfare and making sure they get back into warm, dry homes and that affected families, farms and residents access the support that is available to them.

‘‘While we will still be providing plenty of help for affected residents, from next week we will start to turn our attention to fully analysing what happened during this event, looking at what repair work is required and what areas may potentially need greater levels of infrastructural service.’’

Council staff and Red Cross volunteers spent time in Henley and on the Taieri Plain yesterday checking on residents’ welfare. They had also visited other areas, such as Aramoana.

Mr Cull emphasised that help was still available for floodaffected residents.

‘‘The mayoral relief fund has been relaunched and is targeted at people who cannot receive assistance through other avenues, such as insurance.

‘‘Assistance may also be available through Work and Income. People do not need to be receiving a benefit to be eligible for a Civil Defence emergency payment.’’

No applications had yet been received for access to the relief fund.

As of yesterday, the council’s building services team had issued eight active dangerous building notices and five dangerous land notices.

Council recovery manager Sandy Graham said staff and other agencies were dealing with a wide range of welfare requests and property inspections, as well as contacting residents who had been affected by the downpour.

❛. . . from next week we will start to turn our attention to fully analysing what happened . . .❜

‘‘We appreciate there is a level of anxiety in the community and we’ll continue to do what’s in our residents’ best interests as the cleanup continues over the coming weeks,’’ she said.

Mr Cull said the city’s residents had shown their best during and in response to the event.

‘‘The community did pull together. Obviously there’s lessons but, overall, it was a splendid effort,’’ he said.

The infrastructure had also stood the test, he said.

‘‘The city’s infrastructure performed pretty well — it performed as it’s designed to do, especially considering the volume of rain.’’

Council transport delivery manager Josh von Pein said the cost of cleaning up after the deluge had so far totalled $700,000.

About 300 slips and sites of other damage had been identified on the city’s roading network and reserves and about 10% of those required geotechnical investigation.

Portobello Rd and Harington Point Rd had been fully reopened as far as Taiaroa Head about 5pm yesterday, despite 39 slips occurring on Portobello Rd alone.

‘‘This has been a huge collaborative effort within the construction industry,’’ he said.

Ms Graham said the city’s emergency operations centre closed for the weekend last night.

‘‘If people do have any issues over the weekend, the call centre will be fully staffed,’’ she said.

‘‘The forecast for the weekend is favourable, but if there are any changes over the weekend we are geared up for that.’’

Several sports grounds are closed for weekend sport as a result of the deluge, as are tracks at Frasers Gully, Second Beach, Ocean View and parts of Signal Hill.

Some beaches and waterways were affected by the deluge, making them unsafe for swimming and other recreational uses.

A For more information, visit www.dunedin.govt.nz/floodrecovery or call (03) 4774000.

timothy.brown@odt.co.nz